Spa-Francorchamps - RacingCircuits.info Spa-Francorchamps Grand Prix Circuit (F1 Pits) 4.352 miles / 7.004 km Grand Prix Circuit (Original Pits) 4.352 miles / 7.004 km Grand Prix Circuit (Combined Pits) 4.352 miles / 7.004 km Address: Le Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Route du Circuit, 55 - 4970 Francorchamps, Belgium PH: +32 87 29 37 00 Circuit type: Permanent road course Website: Circuit History Spa-Francorchamps is one of the classic race circuits beloved by drivers and spectators alike, where today the true essence of speed can be explored in spectacular style on a safe and modern facility. However, it hasn't always been like this; in its original incarnation, Spa was a circuit truly to be feared as it posed dangers almost like no other. Fast straights, sweeping corners and unpredictable weather could combine to create a lethal combination – and too often did.

Motor racing had become increasingly popular in Belgium after the First World War and the Ardennes region hosted a number of races before the spotlight fell on the roads around the town of Spa-Francorchamps – until then more famous for its healing waters. The combination of long straights and rolling countryside seemed perfect for the new sport, offering the chance to attain high speeds. Attempts were made to organise the first race in 1921, but these foundered when there was only one entered car. Eventually, the track was inaugurated by the motorcyclists, with the cars following in 1922. Two years later came the first running of the famous 24 Hours of Francorchamps, only one year after Le Mans, while the first real big international race for single-seaters, the European Grand Prix, was run in 1925. Seven cars took part in this event with victory falling to Antonio Ascari and Alfa Romeo.

The first course saw the cars head down the hill from La Source to a left-hand band leading to a hairpin (named after a former customs post which had occupied the site until 1920), before the track rose to Raidillon and headed out on fast, flowing roads to Malmedy, onto Stavelot before sweeping back to Francorchamps in a roughly triangular course. Over the years there were relatively few modifications to the circuit; a chicane at Malmedy was bypassed in 1930, then reused again four years later before being discarded once more in 1939. It was also in this year that the circuit's signature corner sequences was born when a connecting road, bypassing the Virage de Ancienne Douane, was constructed. The sweeping uphill left-right-left combination (known popularly, but incorrectly, as Eau Rouge; this is actually the first corner at the bottom of the hill, rather than the one at the top, which is Raidillon), became an instant classic.

World War Two intervened before too long, however, and like many other circuits in Europe, Spa-Francorchamps suffered at the hands of heavy artillery, so racing did not resume until repairs were complete in 1947. Several modifications were made at this point; the Malmedy chicane was once again bypassed and, in order to keep the circuit of the town itself, a new sweeping and banked corner was built at Stavelot. Even then, safety was marginal, as racers did battle on a circuit which was little different from the normal roads used by the public, save for a few strategically placed hay bales. With ever-increasing speeds and no margin for error, death was an inevitable constant. The roll call of fatalities grew frighteningly long: in 1958 Archie Scott-Brown crashed and died at the same corner that pre-war Mercedes-Benz driver Dick Seaman had perished; Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey were killed in the 1960 Grand Prix; Eric de Keyn and Wil Loos in the 1967 Spa 24 Hours; Tony Hegbourne and Leon Dernier followed in short order.

Even the major stars of the day had serious collisions here: in the fateful 1960 race, Stirling Moss was severely injured in a crash at Burnenville during practice and it was after a 1965 crash, when his BRM ended upside-down in the cellar of the farmhouse on the outside of Masta corner, that Jackie Stewart began his calls for safety improvements, not only to circuits, but to cars, medical facilities and marshalling standards. By 1969, Stewart's fellow Grand Prix drivers were largely in agreement and successfully boycotted the Grand Prix when demanded safety improvements had not been carried out. They relented in 1970 when armo barriers were erected around the circuit, but only after the last minute installation of a temporary chicane at Malmedy. It was to prove the last F1 event on the old course. Despite the dangers, the famous 24 hour race continued, as did visits from sportscar series and motorcycle races. The grim statistics also remained: two deaths in 1971, one in 1972, three during the 1973 24 Hours and another two in 1975.

Some efforts were made to improve safety, although a new chicane installed at the Masta Kink in 1975 was judged to be even more dangerous than the original corner and was never raced. It was clear that it was only a matter of time before authorities brought an end to proceedings permanently. Racing could only survive if a safer, shorter and more modern course could be created. The solution came in 1979, when a new section of permanent track was built to create a much shorter 4 mile circuit. This saw the cars turn off the old course before Les Combes, heading down the valley through a fast but technical section before returning to the old course before Blanchimont. The new circuit was a universal hit, retaining its character as one of the most-challenging in the world but with safety margins which had hitherto been unimaginable. Nevertheless, there was still room for further refinements. In 1981, to slow cars through the old Clubhouse corner, a chicane was installed. A slightly clumsy left-right, right-left double corner, it instantly acquired the nickname of the 'bus stop chicane'.

1983 saw the return of Formula One, utilising brand new F1-only pit facilities on the straight between the bus stop and La Source. There was controversy when the original meeting had to be postponed to later in the year after the track surface broke up. Changes were forced on the circuit following the 1993 crash of Alex Zanardi at Raidillon during GP practice; the following year saw a slow chicane inserted at Eau Rouge but by the following year the classic layout was back with much improved run-off areas. Revised pit entry and exit lanes debuted in 2000 (with a particularly tortuous route for those using the sportscar pits), before further revisions to the run-off at Eau Rouge and Raidillon necessitated slight track realignments, though without fundamentally altering the natures of the corners. Further changes came in 2004, when the entry to the Bus Stop chicane was altered; the road diverted in a curving arc to the right, before entering a tight left-hander and continuing as before. The change improved run-off but did have the consequence of requiring heavy braking through the curved right hander and was not universally popular.

Spa's future was in doubt by the end of 2005, when further track improvements demanded by Bernie Ecclestone failed to materialise, following the bankruptcy of the race promoter. The race was dropped from the F1 schedule for 2006. The Government of Wallonia stepped in with the necessary funding, allowing the radical rebuilding of the F1 pit facilities for the 2007 season. Much more spacious than before, the facilities freed up new land to remodel, once again, the bus stop chicane. Now a switchback double hairpin with acres of run-off room, it undoubtedly provides an overtaking point, but is a total disruption to the flow of the rest of the circuit. There may be no compromises in safety these days, but the resulting circuit changes certainly do have compromises... Other changes included the lengthening of the main straight to La Source and the sealing off of the former public roads to create a permanent, closed racing facility for the first time. Formula One duly returned and the race has once again become an annual highlight of the racing season.

Outside of F1, the circuit has a full calendar of events, including the 24 Hours (now run to the popular GT3 rules), the 1000km World Endurance Event for sportscars, rounds of the WTCC and World Series by Renault and a popular historic meeting, the Spa Six Hours. There's even a 24 hour race for Citroën 2CVs to round off the racing season! Getting There The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps can be found near to the town of Francorchamps in eastern Belgium, close to the borders with Germany and the Netherlands. If you are flying to Spa, there are plenty of choices thanks to the circuit's central European location. The nearest international airport is actually over the border in the Netherlands; Maastricht Aachen Airport is approximately a 50 minutes drive from the circuit. An alternative airport with international flights can be found at Düsseldorf, Germany (a 90 minute drive away. The nearest major airport in Belgium is at Brussels Airport is an 85 mile drive (80 mins) away, but some international and domestic flights can also be found at South Charleroi Airport, which is also about an 80 minute drive.

By rail, you can travel on lines from Brussells, Liège and Charleroi to Verviers station, from where it is a 45 minute bus ride (route 94 or 395) to Francorchamps. Alternatively, buses are laid on from Liège during F1 weekends. Getting to the circuit is easiest by road. The circuit is close to the A27/E32 highway and final directions will depend upon which car park your ticket has access to. The circuit website has comprehensive details and directions for spectators and competitors, so make sure you check this before heading off. Spa-Francorchamps Track | Team | Motorsport.com The track The triangle Designed in 1920 by Jules de Thier and Henri Langlois Van Ophem, the original triangle-shaped course used public roads between the Belgian towns of Francorchamps, Malmedy, and Stavelot. The track was intended to have hosted its inaugural race in August 1921, however this event had to be cancelled as there was only one entrant.

The first car race was held at the circuit in 1922, and two years later saw the first running of the now famous 24 Hours of Francorchamps race. The circuit was first used for Grand Prix racing in 1925. The old Spa circuit was essentially a speed course with drivers managing much higher average speeds than on other race tracks, a factor that made Spa very popular from its inception. Back then, the Belgians took pride in having a very fast circuit, and to improve average speeds, in 1939 the former slow uphill U-turn at the bottom of the Eau Rouge creek valley, called the Ancienne Douane (until 1920, there was a German Empire customs office here), was cut short with a faster sweep straight up the hill, called the Raidillon. Until 2000, it was possible to travel over the race track when it was still a public road. At Eau Rouge, southbound traffic was allowed to use the famous uphill corner, while the opposite downhill traffic had to use the old road and U-turn behind the grand stands, rejoining the race track at the bottom of Eau Rouge.

The old race track continued through the now-straightened Kemmel curves to the highest part of the track (104 metres above the lowest part), then went downhill into Les Combes, a fast, slightly banked downhill left-hander towards Burnenville, passing this village in a fast right hand sweep. Near Malmedy, the Masta straight began, which was only interrupted by the fast Masta Kink between farm houses before arriving at the town of Stavelot. Then the track blasted through an uphill straight section with a few kinks called La Carriere, going through 2 ultra-fast turns (an unnamed right-hand turn and then Blanchimont) before braking very hard for the La Source hairpin, and that rejoined the downhill start finish section as opposed to today where the start-finish section is before La Source. Spa is located in the Belgian Ardennes countryside, and the old circuit was (and still is) used as everyday public road, and there were houses, trees, electric poles, barnyards, fields and other obstacles located right next to the track.

Before 1970, there were no safety modifications of any kind done to the circuit and the conditions of the circuit were, aside from a few straw bales, virtually identical to everyday civilian use. Former Formula One racing driver and team owner Jackie Oliver was quoted as saying "if you went off the road, you didn't know what you were going to hit". Spa was the fastest road circuit in Europe at the time, and it had a nasty reputation for being dangerous and very fast- it was a circuit known to be one for the brave, and most drivers were frightened of it. Entries in the F1 and sportscar races there were often smaller than usual compared to other circuits. The old Spa circuit was unique in that speeds were consistently high with hardly any let-up at all for 3–4 minutes. This made it an extraordinarily difficult mental challenge, because most of the corners were taken at 180+ mph and were not quite flat- every corner was as important as the one before it. If a driver lifted just that little bit more, then whole seconds, not tenths- would be lost. Even the slightest error of any kind was punished very harshly in more ways than one.

But this reality also worked inversely- huge advantages could be gained if a driver came out slightly faster out of a corner. Like the Nürburgring and Le Mans circuits, Spa became notorious for fatal accidents, as there were many deaths each year at the ultra-fast track, especially at the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix where 2 drivers, Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey were both killed within 15 minutes (although Stacey's accident was caused by a bird hitting him in the face) and Stirling Moss had crashed at Burnenville during practice and was severely injured. When Armco crash barriers were added to the track in 1970, deaths became less frequent there but the track was still notorious for other factors. The Ardennes Forest had very unpredictable weather and there were parts where it was raining and the track was wet, and other parts where the sun was shining and the track was completely dry.

This factor was a commonality on long circuits, but the weather at Spa was always more unpredictable than other long circuits, combined with the fact that it was an ultra-high speed track with all but 1 corner (La Source) being extremely high speed made it one of, if not the most dangerous race track in the world. Multiple fatalities during the 1973 and 1975 24 Hours of Spa touring car races more or less sealed the old circuit's fate, and by 1978, the last year Spa was in its original form, the only major races held there were the Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours touring car race; the 1000 km World Sportscar Championship race no longer took place after 1975 and did not come back until 1982. In 1969, the Belgian Grand Prix was boycotted by F1 because of the extreme danger of Spa. There had been 10 racing fatalities in total at the track in the 1960s, including 5 in the 2 years previous.

The drivers demanded changes made to Spa which were not possible on short notice, so the Belgian Grand Prix was dropped that year. Armco was added to the track and sections of it were improved (especially the Stavelot and Holowell sections), just like Armco had been added for the 1969 Le Mans race. One last race there the following year on the improved track was still not satisfactory enough (even after a temporary chicane was added at Malmedy just for that race) for the drivers in terms of safety, and even with the chicane, the drivers averaged 150+ mph (240 km/h) during the race. For the 1971 race, the track owners and authorities had not brought the track up to date with mandatory safety measures, and the race was cancelled. Formula One would not return to Spa until 1983 on the modern track. Masta Kink The Masta Kink was one of the most fearsome sections on any race track in the world, requiring skill and bravery in equal measure to get it right.

After a long run from Malmedy, the cars would reach top speed before having to negotiate Masta, a high speed left-right chicane, and a good exit speed was vital as it was followed by another long straight run to Stavelot. This was a very fast and very dangerous corner because it was situated right in the middle of two very long unbroken straights both about 1½ miles long (2.4 km). The speed in this sector could reach 190 mph. Masta was lost to F1 racing after the 1970 race. Jackie Stewart's crusade to improve safety in racing was set in motion by his crash there in 1966, when his BRM ended upside-down in the cellar of the farmhouse on the outside of the corner, with fuel gushing out of the tank onto Stewart, who had broken ribs to add to his misery. At this point, many of the Formula One drivers disliked Spa (including Stewart and Jim Clark, who had some of his greatest wins there) because of the immense speeds that were constant on the track.

While he was spectating at the 1972 12 Hours of Sebring, Stewart attempted to organise a boycott of the Spa 1000 km race that year, a move that was not respected by many of the drivers, because Spa was still popular with racing drivers outside of Formula One. Stewart later compared the old Spa circuit in 1986 as being as ferocious as a tiger, and he later described Masta in an interview in 2011 as perhaps the hardest corner on any racetrack he raced on in his career; even more so than Eau Rouge. Another particularly gruesome story comes from the 1972 24-hour touring car race. During one of his pitstops at night, Hans-Joachim Stuck shouted to his co-driver Jochen Mass over the noise that he should "look out for body parts at the Masta Kink". Mass arrived there expecting to see bits of car all over the road but was appalled to discover it was in fact the remains of a marshal.

After Masta, and at the end of the subsequent Holowell Straight, there used to be a sharp hairpin at the entrance to the town itself, which was later bypassed by a quicker, banked right hand corner. Another fast section of road in the forest leads to Blanchimont. Here, the new short Grand Prix track of 1979 joins the old layout. Eighteen Formula One World Championship Grands Prix were run on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit's original configuration, which was boycotted by F1 in 1969, before the revised circuit banished it to the history books in 1979. The lap record of the old triangle-shaped track is 3 minutes and 13.4 seconds, held by the French driver Henri Pescarolo, driving a Matra at the 1973 Spa 1000 km World Sportscar Championship race at an average speed of 262 kilometres per hour (163 mph), but the fastest ever recorded time of the old Spa circuit was the pole position time for the very same race—3 minutes and 12.7 seconds by Jacky Ickx in a Ferrari 312PB.

New layout Over the years, the Spa course has been modified several times. The track was originally 15 kilometres (9 mi) long, but after World War II, the track had some changes. In 1930 the chicane at Malmedy was eliminated and bypassed, making the course even faster, but the chicane was re-installed in 1935, albeit slightly different. In 1939, "Virage de Ancienne Douane" was eliminated and cut short, thus giving birth to the Eau Rouge/Raidillon uphill sweeping corner. In 1947, the chicane at Malmedy was again eliminated and bypassed, and was made part of the Masta Straight. The slight right-hander that was originally Holowell (the corner before Stavelot after the second Masta Straight) was eliminated. And finally, instead of going through a slight left-hander that went into the town of Stavelot and a sharp right-hander at a road junction in Stavelot, a shortcut was built that became a very fast, very wide right-handed turn that bypassed Stavelot.

All these changes made the final configuration of the old Spa circuit 14 km (9 mi) long. All these changes made Spa the fastest open road circuit in the world, and in the final years of the old circuit, drivers could average 150 mph (241 km/h) on the circuit. The biggest change, however, saw the circuit being shortened from 14 km (9 mi) to 7 km (4 mi) in 1979. The start/finish line, which was originally on the downhill straight before Eau Rouge, was moved to the straight before the La Source hairpin in 1981. Like its predecessor the new layout still is a fast and hilly route through the Ardennes where speeds in excess of 330 km/h (205 mph) can be reached. Since inception, the place has been famous for its unpredictable weather. Frequently drivers are confronted with one part of the course being clear and bright while another stretch is rainy and slippery. The circuit probably demonstrates the importance of driver skill more than any other in the world.

This is largely due to the Eau Rouge and Blanchimont corners, both which need to be taken flat out to achieve a fast run onto the straights after them, which aids a driver in both a fast lap and in overtaking. Eau Rouge The most famous part of the circuit is the Eau Rouge / Raidillon combination. Having negotiated the La Source hairpin, drivers race down a straight to the point where the track crosses the Eau Rouge stream for the first time, before being launched steeply uphill into a sweeping left-right-left collection of corners with a blind summit. Properly speaking, the Eau Rouge corner is only the left-hander at the bottom. The following right-hander that leads steeply uphill, which was introduced in 1939 to shortcut the original hairpin "Ancienne Douane", is called "Raidillon". The corner requires an amount of skill from the rider/driver to negotiate it well and the long straight ahead produces good overtaking opportunities for riders/drivers at the following "Les Combes" corner. The corner was tighter and narrower (it was made wider in 1970, when the circuit was updated) on the old circuit than it is today. It is now faster.

The 2005 and 2006 F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso explains: "You come into the corner downhill, have a sudden change [of direction] at the bottom and then go very steep uphill. From the cockpit, you cannot see the exit and as you come over the crest, you don't know where you will land. It is a crucial corner for the timed lap, and also in the race, because you have a long uphill straight afterwards where you can lose a lot of time if you make a mistake. But it is also an important corner for the driver's feeling. It makes a special impression every lap, because you also have a compression in your body as you go through the bottom of the corner. It is very strange – but good fun as well." The challenge for drivers has always been to take Eau Rouge-Raidillon flat out. Regular touring cars can take the corner at 160–180 km/h, Formula One at over 300 km/h. This is due to the huge amount of downforce on the cars.

World Champion Jacques Villeneuve once spoke of the effects of downforce saying that to get through the corner they have to go faster as the faster the car is going the more downward force there is, thus explaining the phenomenon of Eau Rouge flat out. Still, a loss of control in this section often leads to very heavy shunt as usually the rear-end of the car is lost and the impact is most of the times lateral.

Eau Rouge has claimed several victims over the years, including Stefan Bellof in a Porsche sportscar, Guy Renard during the 24h of Spa-Francorchamps in 1990 in a Toyota Corolla GT and also caused Alex Zanardi's in 1993 and Jacques Villeneuve's spectacular off in qualifying in 1999, which he described as "My best-ever crash", followed by his team-mate Ricardo Zonta's similar accident, leading cartoonist Jim Bamber to show BAR boss Craig Pollock telling Zonta: "Jacques is the quickest through Eau Rouge, so go out there and do exactly what Jacques does…" Following the deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994, the following F1 races saw the introduction of chicanes made up from stacked tyres. The entry to Eau Rouge was obstructed in such a way in 1994, although it was returned to its previous glory the following year. The corner was slightly modified for 2002, but still retains its character.

Testimony to the fame and beloved character of the Eau Rouge corner can be found in fan reaction to the Istanbul Park circuit in Istanbul, Turkey. When fans first got to see the course configuration at the start of the weekend of the 2005 Turkish Grand Prix, many noted that an uphill kink on the back straight was very similar to Eau Rouge; many jokingly dubbed the kink "Faux Rouge" (a pun on the name of the original Spa corner using the French word "faux", meaning "false"). Blanchimont The Blanchimont turn is one of the most fearsome turns in Formula One. This high-speed left-hand turn, present in both the old 14 km circuit and the new, shorter, 7 km track, is the final sweeping corner of the track before the Bus Stop chicane, which leads to the pit straight.

This turn and the approach to it have caused serious accidents over time, the most recent being in 2001, when Luciano Burti lost the front wing of his Prost due to a clash with Eddie Irvine's Jaguar, losing front downforce and steering, leaving the track at 185 mph (298 km/h) and piling into the tyre wall, the impact knocking him out and burying the car into a mound of tyres. Problems have also occurred in lower classes of racing with Tom Kristensen having a very violent crash in a Formula 3000 car in 1997 after running wide on the entry to the Blanchimont turn and subsequently hitting the wall effectively throwing the monocoque back out in the middle of the track, where it was hit by numerous cars before coming to a complete halt. The run-off area is narrower than in other turns taken at this speed, plus the fact that behind the protective barriers there is a 7–8 meter drop. This is the first turn taken by the cars after the new track rejoins the route of the old 14 km track.

Blanchimont was also the scene where in 1992 after Erik Comas had crashed heavily during Friday's session, Ayrton Senna stopped, disembarked his car and sprinted to help the injured driver, with other cars driving past at racing speeds. Recent problems and renovations Due to the introduction of a new legislative order in Europe, new bans in tobacco advertising have been imposed, and as a special case, Formula One is facing a major threat regarding this point. Due to these political and legislative circumstances, Grand Prix in this circuit was left out of the 2003 calendar as a response to the internal tobacco legislation in Belgium. The event was tagged as a World Class event within the national senate, and thus it was saved for the 2004 Formula One season. The section known as the Bus Stop chicane was reprofiled for 2004 with an additional sweep to the right. Spa was dropped from the Formula One calendar in 2006. The organiser of the event went bankrupt in late 2005, and therefore the planned improvements to the race track and paddock had not yet been made.

The Wallonia government stepped in and provided the necessary funds, but too late for the 2006 race to take place. From 2007 tobacco advertising bans limited the number of sponsors from the industry finding the sport appealing. From 2010, only the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro still had tobacco branding; soon after that the team dropped the Marlboro "stripes" from their race cars after accusations of it being linked to subliminal advertising. Redevelopment for 2007 season With a new financial backer, the renovation started on 6 November 2006 and finished in May 2007, costing around €19 million. Formula 1 returned to Spa for 2007, with a modified track layout. The Bus Stop chicane was moved back towards Blanchimont and the La Source hairpin moved forward. This allowed more space for the new pit lane. The modifications gave a longer start/finish straight. Modifications New asphalt runoff was added to the inside and outside of Les Combes for the 2010 race, in line with the prevailing trends at other Formula One circuits.

Prior to the 2013 race, drainage grooves were cut into the asphalt on the start-finish straight, underneath the first 11 grid slots. Drivers were initially concerned that this would affect grip at the start. Other racing series Besides Formula 1 other races in different motorsports classes are hosted at Spa-Francorchamps. The most notable ones are the Blancpain Endurance Series, the Formula 3, the RCN, the Motorbike Endurance, the ADAC GT Masters, and previously the DTM and the WTCC. The most famous long-distance and sports car races are the Spa 24 Hours and the 1000 km Spa. The circuit also hosts a 24-hour 2CV race. In popular culture As the long-time home of the Belgian Grand Prix and its location within the Ardennes forests it has been a popular backdrop for all kinds of fictional media, from appearances in comics and multiple motion pictures, to regular appearances in dozens of video games across almost all formats going back into the 1980s.

Write a comment Hotels near Spa Francorchamps Race Track - 2017 F1 Belgian Grand Prix I don't have specific dates yet Search Hotels near Spa Formula 1 Race Track in Belgium The city of spa lies just to the north west of the circuit and has a range of accommodation to choose from around its historic centre. One of the main benefits of choosing this area for hotels or a B&B is the fact a large number of race related activities are centred on the town. For those who are looking for a unique and once in a lifetime F1 experience the casino at Spa is historic and can be accessed from close to Francorchamps track. A number of small towns can be found in and around the Belgian Grand Prix track, which feature different types of accommodation from a B&B to hotels and small inns. Moving away from the Spa Francorchamps race area can make the trip to the circuit a little longer, but can also save a large amount on the cost of a room. Staying in the Ardennes Forest the F1 Belgian Grand Prix is raced within can provide stunning landscapes visible from most hotels and B&B accommodation within the region.

>Find my Spa Francorchamps Hotel near the formula one racing circuit Places to Stay nearby Hotels within close distance of Spa Francorchamps motor racing track can be found nearby in the towns of Spa, Francorchamps, Stavelot, Malmedy, Waimes, Liege, ... Some very popular hotel accommodations are located not far away in Spa town center such as Radisson BLU Balmoral, Radisson BLU Palace Hotel, and cheap Best Western Hotel l'Auberge et sa Résidence. One of the nearest places to stay is 4 star rated Hotel de la Source. This design hotel overlooks the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, less than a 5-minute drive away. If you are looking for cheap places to stay, check out Auberge Francopole (5-minute drive from the Spa Francorchamps Circuit), Bungalowpark Domaine De Chodes offering studios and apartments, and Auberge Saint Remacle in Stavelot. Check out our cheapest rates for these hotels in our search engine ! Search for very cheap hotels and budget b&b's or guest houses beside Spa Francorchamps racing track.

Formula One Race 2017 Belgian Grand Prix The Belgian Grand Prix sees visitors descend on the Spa area of the country to see their favourite drivers compete at the Spa Francorchamps track, which provides an up close and personal race experience in a stunning woodland setting. The majority of F1 Grand Prix fans travel to the Belgian race as it is a throwback to a bygone era in racing, which includes a long track at Francorchamps that is perfect for seeing the most technologically advanced race cars in the world at their best. One of the major advantages of travelling to the circuit is the fact that the original track is still in use in the area and can be travelled by car or bicycle in a bid to take a short run over a real F1 circuit. Finding the perfect accommodation for any visit to the 2017 Belgian Grand Prix should also include the chance to explore the region being visited between practice, qualifying and race times. A small B&B or hotel in the area will bring visitors into contact with local people who can recommend some of the amazing sites of the region to visit.

This being a Belgian event there is always the chance to find accommodation close to any of the local hostelries close to Francorchamps that brew and serve fine local beers. Circuit de Spa Francorchamps Circuit de Spa Francorchamps -- The track has been described by many as the world’s top motor racing circuit. It winds its way along the magnificent Ardennes mountains. It hosts the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix as well as the Spa 24 hours race. Location -- Located between the Belgian towns of Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot. Opened -- 1924 Address -- Circuit de Spa Francorchamps, Circuit House, Route du Circuit 55, Francorchamps 4970, Belgium Major Events -- FIA Formula One Grand Prix Belgium, GP2, F3, Spa 24 hours Endurance race, Volkswagen club event, 1000km, DTM.

Circuit Length -- 6,968 km Spectator Capacity -- around 70.000 Directions -- The Spa circuit lies in the Ardennes forest region of Belgium, 50 km south-west of Aachen, 50 km south of Maastricht and 50 km south-east of Liege. It's easy accessible through motorway E40, E25 and E42 (A27). From Liege take the E5 motorway towards Aachen, then head south on the E42 (A27) motorway towards St. Wilth/Trier. Take exit 10 to Spa Francorchamps. From the North leave at exit 8 to Spa or at exit 10 to go directly to Francorchamps and the circuit. Alternatively, use exit 11 if you are going to Stavelot. Spa-Francorchamps - Circuits of the past Spa-Francorchamps Eau Rouge or Raidillon? Spa-Francorchamps This page tells the history of the beautiful circuit of Spa-Francorchamps . A classic on the Formula One calendar and beloved for its elevations and blazing fast corners...

The prehistory of Spa-Francorchamps Together with the old Nürburgring , the Belgian circuit of Spa-Francorchamps is one of the few old style race tracks that still exists. And it belongs to the most beautiful circuits in the world! Back in 1896 there where races in the Belgian Ardennes and from 1902 they raced at a closed part of the public road. This also was the first time a public road get closed for motor racing! In this time they drove year by year at different lay outs and the longest was 118,1 km (73.8 Miles)! In the early twenties the "La Meuse" newspaper owner Jules de Thier and chairman of the Royal Automobile Club Belgium Langlois van Ophem came at the idea to use the triangle Francorchamps - Malmedy - Stavelot for motor racing. The circuit of Spa-Francorchamps was born. On this satellite photo you see above the current circuit very clear. If you follow the Kemmel Straight you enter the old circuit and you can recognize the classic triangle. Click here for a lap on the old track.

The first ever car race that should take place in 1921 at the 14,982 km (9.31 Miles) long circuit was cancelled because there was a lack of competitors, just one registration! The first race that took place was a motorcycle race in 1922. In 1924 the first edition of the 24 hours of Francorchamps took place one year after le Mans. And in 1925 the first Grand Prix was held, the GP of Europe, which was won by Antonio Ascari, the father of Alberto. The layout of Spa-Francorchamps The layout of the 14 Km. (8.75Miles) long street circuit was characterized by fast sweeping corners and huge elevations. Actually there where only 3 slow corners from which only La Source remained. The others where l'Ancienne Douane and Stavelot. In 1939 a spectacular new corner cut off l'Ancienne Douane, with the goal to make Francorchamps one of the fastest circuits in Europe. The name of that corner was Raidillon .

This horrendous fast and very steep Raidillon is attached to the remains of the old Eau Rouge corner, the left-hander which was originally the connection to the l'Ancienne Douane hairpin. Today many people call the Raidillon by mistake Eau-Rouge (See the article " Eau Rouge or Raidillon? " for more information). You can see that the left-hander was original longer. Click on the picture for more details about the Raidillon and the confusion about the name. During World War Two there where no races at Francorchamps. But from December 1944 to January 1945 the circuit was in the middle of the Ardennes Offensive. The first post war races have been held in 1947. The lay out was changed a little bit from that year, because the intersection at Stavelot was cut off by a new fast and slightly banked corner. The pre war trend to make Francorchamps one of the fastest circuits was continued with this modification. The new banked corner near Stavelot. Malmedy Chicane The Malmedy Chicane was mainly used in the pre-war version of the track.

First from 1921 to 1929. Than from 1934 to 1939. After World War Two the chicane was initially not used anymore, because of the trend to make the circuit faster. But at the end of the sixties safety became an issue. Spa-Francorchamps came under criticism for it's lack of safety, which resulted in the reuse of the Malmedy Chicane in 1970 for certain race classes. About the use of the Malmedy Chicane during the 1970 Formula One Grand Prix are the stories contradictory. Some sources tell the chicane was tested during practise but found too dangerous and not used during the race. But footage of the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix shows that it was also used during the race itself. They probably mixed up two cases. It seems that the Malmedy Chicane was not used during the 1970 edition of the 1000 Kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps. Moreover, there was another chicane which was tested for the 1000 Kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps but not used...

Masta Chicane For the 1975 edition of the 1000 Kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps the organizers were looking for a safer alternative for the feared Masta Kink and decided to build a chicane. But when the Masta Chicane was built and tested they came to the conclusion that it was much more dangerous than the original Masta Kink. So the Masta Chicane was never used for its purpose. Today it is a parking along the public road. Loading Player... Formula One at Spa-Francorchamps Since 1950 the Belgian Grand Prix was counting for the Formula one World Championship which was introduced hat year. Until 1970, except in 1957, it was held at the old Spa-Fracorchamps circuit. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/circuitsofthepast Like usual, beautiful circuits are mostly dangerous circuits. The most exuberant parties in Formula one where after the Belgian Grand Prix if everyone had survived the race at Spa-Francorchamps! But after some grave incidents the track was found too dangerous by the drivers and the Belgian Grand Prix was moved to Zolder and Nivelles .

The only way for Spa-Francorchamps to get the Belgian Grand Prix back was to build a new circuit. Different proposal lay outs where designed. The goal was to preserve the old character of the track while the most dangerous sections should disappear. They opted for a new section between Les Combes and Blanchimont, which reduces the length to almost 7 kilometres. Moreover, the Kemmel section, which originally contained a series of fast kinks, was straightened making it the famous Kemmel Straight. The new circuit opened in 1979 and in 1983 the Formula one came back to Spa-Francorchamps. One of the most beloved section of the new circuit is the double left-hander Pouhon. Here during the Grand Prix in 1997. The aim was to alternate the Belgian Grand Prix between the Flemish Zolder and the Walloon Spa-Francorchamps just like between Zolder and Nivelles in the early seventies. But since 1985 the Grand Prix stayed at the new Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Old Spa-Francorchamps today Since 2000 the new part is a permanent circuit.

To make this possible a new traffic road was constructed around the circuit. The old part is still accessible and is almost in original state. Only the Masta Straight is now interrupted by a small detour to connect to a roundabout. Loading Player... The dead end section from Stavelot to Blanchimont was neglected and in a very bad condition for years. But nowadays it serves as a gateway to the kart track and the infield of the current circuit, and has a brand new surface.

Question: In which country is Francochamps motor racing circuit
Answer: Belgium